A study is underway now to help improve traffic flow along Hickman Road.

"It gets backed up bumper to bumper all the way down," said Judy Sheehy, driving through the area.

Sheehy said she dreads driving down Hickman, where she inevitably has to slam on the brakes near the interstate. Add in a traffic crash to the mix and she said you're looking at a major back-up in both directions.

"The problem is traffic going east and west through there," said Urbandale Mayor Bob Andeweg.

He said the road can't keep up with the growth in the area from the Interstate to Waukee. Traffic into the new huge Life Time Athletic is also expected to impact travel times along Hickman.

The aging roadway design could be completely transformed into a new design called a Diverging Diamond Interchange.

One is already planned in Waukee on the Grand Prairie Parkway project. It would be the first one in Iowa.

"It will be a new experience," said John Gibson, Waukee Public Works director. "It's to help get that through traffic flowing, more free flowing than it currently is."

A Diverging Diamond Interchange design is unusual. It shuffles some cars onto the wrong side of the road so those turning left onto the interstate don't have to stop to cross oncoming traffic.

"It's relatively low cost, low impact as it gets rebuilt. I think it's a great idea," said Andeweg.

The DOT is also building a Diverging Diamond in Ankeny at the busy First Street interchange. They said the new design is said to be quicker, cheaper and safer -- reducing traffic jams by 60 percent.

If the new interchange is approved, the DOT hopes to get it into a five year plan to get it completely quickly.

The first Diverging Diamond Interchange was built five years ago in Missouri.

tonight. The DOT calls it one of the worst roads in Central Iowa. And those who drive down Hickman around the interstate in Urbandale/ Clive know the traffic jams all too well. Now KCCI's Cynthia Fodor has learned transportation officials have come up with something unusual that may help solve the problem. "A STUDY IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW IN URBANDALE AND CLIVE TO TRY TO DECIDE THE BET WAY TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW HERE AT HICKMAN AND I 35/80..WHERE A NEW INTERCHANGE IS BEING CONSIDERED." "IT GETS BACKED UP BUMPER TO BUMPER ALL THE WAY DOWN" Judy Sheehy dreads driving down Hickman ...where she inevitably slams on the brakes near the interstate. Add in a traffic accident and look at the major back-up in both directions. "12;39 THE PROBLEM IS TRAFFIC GOING EAST AND WEST THRU THERE. " The Urbandale Mayor says the road can't keep up with the growth from here to Waukee. Some say with the new LifeTime Athletic opening, they will avoid Hickman. "12;27 IT'S THE LAST INTERCHANGE SINCE THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM WENT IN." Now the focus is on a new unusual interchange here... like the one being built in Waukee's Grand Prairie Parkway project...that will be the first in Iowa. "19;29 IT'LL BE A NEW EXPERIENCE." "13;10 IT'S TO HELP GET THAT THRU TRAFFIC FLOWING MORE FREE FLOWING THAN IT CURRENTLY IS." It's a new concept: a Diverging Diamond interchange. Watch as cars in the left lane approach a major highway driving on the wrong side of the road so those turning left onto the interstate won't have to stop to cross oncoming traffic. "13;34 IT'S RELATIVELY LOW COST, LOW IMPACT AS IT GETS REBUILT, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, -41" The DOT is also building a DDI in Ankeny at First Street. This new design is said to be quicker, cheaper and safer, reducing traffic jams by 60 percent. "AND IF THE NEW INTERCHANGE IS APPROVED, THE DOT HOPES TO SLIP IT INTO A FIVE YEAR PLAN TO GET IT DONE QUICKLY. STACEY AND ERIC" The first Diverging Diamond Interchange was built 5 years ago in Missouri. Another is being considered in Iowa City.

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